Playing cards are used in a wide variety of games. When playing cards are used to play games in a casual setting, such as in the home, the cards are generally processed manually. In other words, the cards may be shuffled by hand, dealt by hand and the like.
In many environments, hand processing of cards for game play is undesirable or has drawbacks. For example, in a casino environment is important to ensure that the cards are not tampered with (where that risk increases the more the cards are handled by hand), that the cards are well shuffled (thus ensuring a high degree of randomization) and that the card handling is expedited so that games can be played quickly.
Thus, in order to address these issues, a number of card handling devices have been created. For example, to facilitate thorough and quick shuffling of cards, various mechanical or electro-mechanical card shuffling devices have been developed. In addition, other types of card handling, receiving, transporting and retaining devices have been developed.
One problem, however, is that playing cards come in various sizes. For example, standard playing cards having a length of 3.5 inches and a width of 2.5 inches. However, there are other sizes of cards that are commonly used, such as “bridge sized” cards which have a length of 3.5 inches and width of 2.25 inches. This variance in card sizes creates problems relative to card handling apparatus such as card shufflers which are configured to process or shuffle only cards of a single size, such as the larger standard size or the smaller bridge size.
One option for addressing this issue, which is undesirable, is for the casino to use only a single size of playing card corresponding to the design of the particular shuffler or other card handling apparatus which the casino utilizes. Another option is for the casino to buy and use different card shufflers and other card handling devices for different sized cards. This is also undesirable because these devices are generally very expensive and thus the cost of acquiring and maintaining duplicate equipment for different sized cards is prohibitive. Lastly, the casino might modify the equipment so that it can be used with different sized cards. For example, currently card shuffling apparatus exists which is designed to shuffle standard sized cards. This equipment might be manually modified to facilitate use with smaller sized cards. However, this process is time consuming and difficult, as it generally requires the casino to access interior portions of the shuffling apparatus and to use tools to modify the apparatus, such as by using fasteners to connect and/or disconnect one or more elements thereof. As noted, however, this process is time consuming and so can't readily be performed between games and the like (but essentially requires the game table to be taken out of use/service while the modifications are made) and is difficult (for example, fasteners such as screws may fall into the interior of the shuffler and interfere with its operation and the like).
An improved method and device(s) for easily modifying card handling apparatus, such as a card shuffler, so that such a device can accommodate different sized cards, is desired.